154 



Similar holes have since been found by Mr. Salter, F.G.S., 

 in rocks of various ages^ from the Cambrian upwards, and 

 that distinguished palaeontologist has called them arenicolites. 



The position of the Kerridge flags is, probably, one of the 

 best ascertained in the whole coal field. It is in the lower 

 division above the millstone grit. In his lower coal field he 

 gives two main beds of flagstones : the first or lower, the 

 Rochdale series, under the rough rock ; and the upper, or 

 Upholland or Kerridge series, above the same rock, the chief 

 workable beds of the lower coal field of Kochdale and other 

 districts, often termed the " mountain mines," lying midway 

 between these two flag deposits. This series of coal is now, 

 and has been for many years, wrought under the Kerridge 

 flags, so as prove beyond doubt the position of the latter. 

 Some discussions have lately taken place in the newspapers 

 at Macclesfield as to whether the Kerridge beds were per- 

 mian or carboniferous. No one, who ever saw permian beds, 

 could ever for one moment suppose Kerridge flags to belong 

 to those strata. It is possible that permian beds may exist in 

 the low district lying between Kerridge and Macclesfield, as 

 they have been met with at Hug Bridge on the souths and 

 Norbury Brook on the north, but up to this time they have 

 not been proved to be there. 



Considerable interest has been excited by the discovery of 

 what were supposed to be the foot-marks of some animals on 

 the surface of the flags. He had been induced to make two 

 journies to Kerridge for the purpose of examining them. 

 Once he found two ripple marks pressed into one, which some- 

 what resembled a human foot, and which was shown to him 

 as the mark of one ; and at another time he was shown what 

 was called a track of some animal, but which was evidently 

 no track at all, but most probably made by running water. 

 Although plenty of worm holes and ripple marks are to be 

 found on the surface of the Kerridge flags, as yet he had seen 

 no tracks of animals upon them. 



